What you need to know about tipping while on an African safari

Africa is a continent filled with some of the most beautiful people around the world. But one of the things that Africans are known for is their kindness and willingness to help wherever they can. Be it as part of their job or just a concerned citizen, you will not run out of a group of people who are ready to help you. While the culture of tipping in Africa varies according to a country and in most cases according to the individual themselves, it is not pertinent that someone give out a tip after enjoying a service.

So with that in mind, it's no surprise if you want to be prepared when it comes to whether or not you will tip as well as what is the right amount to tip your waiter, cab driver and so forth. You want to make sure you tip just right. Below are a few things to keep in mind about tipping while on your African Safari.

When to Tip: Restaurants & Service staff

If the service is good, go ahead and tip. One thing you will realize when it comes to restaurants or most service related jobs in the area is that the tip is already taken into consideration when they bring you your bill at the end of your stay or at the end of your meal.

That is why you will find not many people go out of their way to tip for the service they receive. This act of kindness is mostly according to the individual and the usual amount one should consider is ten percent if you truly feel that the waiter/ waitress, bar staff, hotel staff etc. has done an exemplary job.

When to Tip: Cabs & Public Transportation

Take into consideration whether or not they own the means of transport. Here it all begins with the number of people you are travelling with. If you find that you are hiring from a company then a tip will be appreciated due to the fact that most of the revenue goes back to the company while the cab driver is not left with much.

So depending on the group and whether or not the cabbie owns the car or not you are safe with around 10-20 percent. If the cabbie owns the cab you will want to find out the normal rates of the area to know whether or not you have been overcharged or not, this will help you know if you should tip.

The same goes for public transportation, they tend to hike fare so it is normally not advisable to tip in these situations.

When to Tip: Helpful people

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." Scott Adams

Africans are naturally very helpful and you will find someone coming to your aid while on your African Safari. From Street kids that help you park your car to the petrol attendant who wants to make sure your car is in tip-top shape for the journey ahead, they are there in the plenty.

Coming across this people is an everyday affair so discretion is advised. Remember that while these people can be helpful, they do not have an obligation to guard your property and the like. So according to the currency of the area you are safe with say for example Ksh. 20 for a tip or something like lunch and so forth.

But again this is all dependent on your level of generosity. Be sure to tip in the country's currency as well for most African currencies score low in comparison with their international counterparts. So do not feel the need to unless you truly feel that the service merits extra remuneration.